Chapter 431 : Blood Sacrifice Formation
431: Blood Sacrifice Formation
When Jiang Mo heard they were setting up a formation, her first thought was of a trap. After all, Mount Xuanyin had already become a battlefield between two sects—why would someone set up a formation here if not to trap others? Surely it couldn't be for cultivation?
But she partially dismissed this suspicion shortly after it arose. This location was actually quite far from the battleground between the two sects, making it too obvious to lure people here. Unless someone was blinded by bloodlust and in relentless pursuit, anyone would easily detect the abnormality. Rather than setting traps so far away, it would be easier to succeed with them placed closer.
After some speculation, the two had no conclusion, and Yun Qingyue couldn't immediately identify what formation these people were establishing.
They watched as the figures below moved swiftly through the forest, occasionally crouching or throwing something. Looking carefully, Yun Qingyue and Jiang Mo could only see what appeared to be white pegs. After entering the soil, these pegs seemed to melt into the ground, not only changing from their original white color but leaving no trace whatsoever, undetectable even by divine sense... In terms of concealment techniques, this was truly suitable for setting traps.
As the two marveled internally, the figures below worked tirelessly, deploying hundreds of white pegs in a short time. Initially, Jiang Mo could track their connections, but later she could only note the positions where the pegs landed, the complexity of their arrangement into a formation being beyond her.
Not versed in formations, Jiang Mo gradually became dizzy watching and had to seek help from her knowledgeable Senior Sister: "Qingyue, can you tell what formation this is?"
Yun Qingyue stared intently at these people's movements, mentally tracing the formation as each white peg fell into place. But as more and more pegs landed, Yun Qingyue also began to struggle—she wasn't a specialized formation master. Though she had learned pills, artifacts, talismans, and formations from her Senior Masters, she was merely proficient, far from being an expert.
Finally, Yun Qingyue stopped trying to piece together this complex formation. After withdrawing her attention, she experienced a moment of disorientation. Only Jiang Mo's quick hand steadying her prevented her from showing any sign of weakness. Not afraid to disappoint, she stated frankly: "I can't tell."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo wasn't particularly disappointed, simply saying: "Then let's keep watching."
The two fell silent again, continuing to observe the formation setup below.
These people possessed considerable cultivation, almost all at the late Spirit Division stage. Their leader had even reached early Fusion stage cultivation, differing from Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue only by minor realm. Initially, they set up the formation with ease and composure, crouching to press into the ground or casually tossing those peg-like magical tools, which were easily driven into the earth. But as more white pegs were placed, their movements gradually slowed.
It wasn't due to fatigue, nor did they need to consider how to arrange the formation. Rather, as the setup progressed, the force required increased. If driving the initial white pegs into the ground was like piercing mud, later it became like piercing steel plates, or even diamond!
By the time the formation was completely established, one or two hours had passed, and these black-clothed individuals were nearly exhausted.
After pressing down the final white peg, an invisible force dispersed, and the black-clothed figures immediately sat in meditation to recover. With their keen eyesight, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue could even see steaming sweat dripping from their bodies... Quite unusual for cultivators normally unaffected by heat or cold. Jiang Mo, however, wasn't in the mood to marvel, and quickly pulled Yun Qingyue far back.
Jiang Mo had acute sensitivity to danger. Though the formation had just been completed and not yet activated, she instinctively sensed peril. After pulling her Senior Sister to a safe distance, she said: "This formation gives me a bad feeling."
Yun Qingyue didn't need Jiang Mo to tell her; she had sensed it too. The moment the formation was completed, she even felt a chill run down her spine.
But what was this formation for? If it truly was a trap, who was it targeting?
Yun Qingyue's heart inexplicably sank, but she showed no intention of leaving—the black-clothed figures below were still meditating to recover, seemingly with no plans to depart soon. Who knew what else they might do?
Initially, Jiang Mo grew somewhat impatient, but fortunately, Yun Qingyue soothed her in time: "It's fine, let's wait a bit longer."
If waiting was what they were doing, then waiting it would be. Jiang Mo glanced at her Senior Sister's hand that had lightly patted her shoulder, and her anxiety immediately subsided. After some thought, she suddenly produced a small golden bell from her storage space. After infusing it with spiritual energy, the small bell transformed into a golden phantom, instantly growing taller than a person, and enveloped them both within the bell.
Yun Qingyue glanced at this golden bell with considerable surprise, hesitating to speak—she recognized at a glance that this was a high-grade defensive magical artifact. Jiang Mo had brought it out to provide an extra layer of protection, but wasn't it too conspicuous? Anyone below who wasn't blind would surely see it!
Guessing her unspoken concern, Jiang Mo hastily explained: "Don't worry, Ah Yue, others can't see this light."
This was a system product, a treasure she had specifically bought for her Senior Sister to overcome tribulation, though unfortunately it hadn't been used at that time.
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The cultivation world was often just like this—high cultivation allowed one to act as they pleased. Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had tracked the black-clothed figures here, watched them set up an unknown formation, and even observed their recovery, yet those below remained completely unaware.
Perhaps they weren't cautious enough, or perhaps they were too confident, never suspecting that their actions had already fallen under others' observation.
Clutching spirit stones to rapidly restore spiritual energy, it took less than half an hour for these depleted black-clothed figures to recover seven or eight tenths of their strength. Indeed, they didn't leave, but each took a position. The leader's gaze swept over everyone, and after confirming there were no errors, he was the first to channel spiritual energy toward the formation's eye with a palm strike, simultaneously shouting: "Rise!"
This sharp command broke the forest's silence. But perhaps because Mount Xuanyin had become a battlefield, with living creatures either dead or fled, not even insects remained to be startled by the shout. The command merely echoed through the forest, disturbing nothing.
Before the echo returned, the other black-clothed figures had also channeled their spiritual energy, striking toward the formation's eye along with their leader.
A faint light emerged from the formation's eye, not the usual five-element colors seen in formations, but a thick, blackish red. Though its nature remained unknown, a single glance revealed something oppressive and ominous.
Just then, a breeze blew through the forest, and the two within the golden bell seemed to catch a faint scent of blood.
Jiang Mo's gaze instantly changed, fixating on the unknown formation below—she knew the bloody smell wasn't an illusion. If the scent could penetrate the golden bell that separated inside from outside, the smell outside must be incredibly potent.
Yet this was only the beginning. As the black-clothed figures channeled more spiritual energy into the formation's eye, the viscous black-red light intensified. Gradually, they began to struggle, clutching spirit stones to draw energy while continuing to feed it into the formation. Until the black-red light reached a certain threshold, seemingly on the verge of breaking through yet unable to do so, no matter how much more spiritual energy they input.
At this moment, the leader shouted again: "Sacrifice!"
As his words fell, he acted first. A stream of energy flashed, and a cut suddenly appeared on his palm that had been channeling energy. Crimson blood gushed forth, absorbed by the formation before it could even drip down.
The black-red light instantly strengthened by two degrees, becoming increasingly unstable, yet still lacking that final push.
Seeing this, the other black-clothed figures didn't hesitate, all following their leader's example by cutting their palms to begin the blood sacrifice.
From their vantage point, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue couldn't see these black-clothed figures' expressions or complexions since their faces were covered. But this blood sacrifice clearly cost them dearly—the gushing blood flowed like small streams, unceasing.
The black-red light grew deeper and deeper, while the sacrificing figures below began to sway, yet not one reached for medicinal pills.
Finally, the power of the blood sacrifice broke through the threshold. The black-red light at last broke free from its constraints, suddenly shooting skyward. The entire formation was covered in red-black light, making it impossible to see what was happening within. The last visible image was of those black-clothed figures collapsing and shrinking to the ground.
......
Jiang Mo's heart pounded violently as an oppressive force swept toward them. She had no concern for what had become of those black-clothed figures. She pulled Yun Qingyue back much further, then hastily looked up along the black-red pillar of light.
The black-red light column soared into the sky, breaking through the clouds and turning half the sky into a terrifying black-red hue.
To others, perhaps this would have been the extent of it, but Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue were different. They clearly saw that as the black-red light pierced the clouds, the shadow looming over Mount Xuanyin seemed disturbed. The previously faint shadow suddenly intensified, and looking carefully, one would discover that the scattered shadow was converging in one place.
The light gray shadow gathered into deep gray, then gradually transformed into a profound black, all converging around the black-red light column until this blackness merged within it.
After a moment, the soaring light condensed back down, returning to the formation, yet feeling even more terrifying.
Watching this, Jiang Mo suddenly felt some regret—perhaps she should have intervened earlier...
But would stopping this one instance have made any difference?